Kelly M. Dermody Attorney

First Admitted: 1994, California

Professional Webpage: http://www.lieffcabraser.com/attorneys/kelly-m-dermody/

Bar/Professional Activity:

American Bar Association, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council; American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section (Governing Council, 2009-present; Current Chair; Chair-Elect, 2020-2021; Co-Chair, Section Conf., 2008-2009; Vice-Chair, Section Conf., 2007-2008; Co-Chair, Comm. on Equal Opportunity in the Legal Profession, 2006-2007); American Bar Association, Section of Litigation (Attorney Client Privilege Task Force, 2017-2018); American Law Institute, Elected Member, 2019; Bar Association of San Francisco (Board of Directors, 2005-2012; President, 2011-2012; President-Elect, 2010-2011; Treasurer, 2009-2010; Secretary, 2008-2009; Litigation Section; Executive Committee, 2002-2005); Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom; Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (Board of Directors, 1998-2005; Secretary, 1999-2003; Co-Chair, 2003-2005; Member, 1997-Present); Carver Healthy Environments and Response to Trauma in Schools (Steering Committee, 2007-2012); College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (Elected Fellow, 2015); Consumer Attorneys of California; Equal Rights Advocates (Litigation Committee, 2000-2002); National Association of Women Judges (Independence of the Judiciary Co-Chair, 2011-2014; Resource Board, Co-Chair, 2009-2011, Member, 2005-present); National Center for Lesbian Rights (Board of Directors, 2002-2008; Co-Chair, 2005-2006); National Employment Lawyers’ Association; Northern District of California Historical Society (Board of Directors, 2015-2018); Northern District of California Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (2007-2010); Pride Law Fund (Board of Directors, 1995-2002; Secretary, 1995-1997; Chairperson, 1997-2002); Public Justice Foundation; State Bar of California

Representative Clients:

Pro bono/Community Service:

Carver Healthy Environments and Response to Trauma in Schools (Carver HEARTS), Steering Committee (2007-present); Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (Board of Directors, 1998-2005; Secretary, 1999-2003; Co-Chair, 2003-2005); National Center for Lesbian Rights (Board of Directors, 2002-2008; Co-Chair, 2005-2006); Pride Law Fund (Board of Directors, 1995-2002; Secretary, 1995-1997; Chairperson, 1997-2002); Equal Rights Advocates (Litigation Committee, 2000-2002).

Honors/Awards:

AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell; Selected for inclusion by peers in The Best Lawyers in America in fields of “Employment Law-Individuals” and “Litigation-Labor and Employment,” 2010-2025; “Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2023-2025; “Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2010-2017, 2019-2025; “Labor & Employment Litigator of the Year,” ““Impact Case Award,” “Labor & Employment Star,” “Litigation Star,” ” “Top 50 Labor & Employment Litigator,” Benchmark Litigation, 2024; “Top 250 Women in Litigation,” Benchmark Litigation, 2016-2020, 2024; “California Litigation Star,” Benchmark Litigation, 2013-2017, 2024; “Top Labor & Employment Lawyers,” Daily Journal, 2016, 2018-2020, 2023, 2024; “Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar,” Law360, 2024; “Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment & Civil Rights Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2018-2024; “Elite Women of the Plaintiffs Bar,” National Law Journal, 2024; “Lawyer of the Year for Labor and Employment Litigation,” San Francisco Bay Area, Best Lawyers, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023; “Class Action & Employment MVP of the Year,” Law360, 2023; “Top 50 Women Northern California Super Lawyers,” Super Lawyers, 2007-2023; “Top 100 Northern California Super Lawyers,” Super Lawyers, 2007, 2009-2023; “Super Lawyer for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2004-2023; “Award of Merit,” Bar Association of San Francisco, 2007, 2022; “Top Plaintiff Lawyers,” California Daily Journal, 2022; “Class Action MVP of the Year,” Law360, 2021; “Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award,” American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession, 2019; “Judge Learned Hand Award,” 2019, American Jewish Committee; “Outstanding Private Practice Antitrust Achievement,” American Antitrust Institute, 2019; “Legends of the 500,” Lawdragon, 2019; “Employment Law Trailblazer,” National Law Journal, 2019; “Litigation Trailblazer,” The National Law Journal, 2018; “Giant Slayer,” The Recorder, 2016; “Top 100 Attorneys in California,” Daily Journal, 2012-2015; “Top 75 Labor and Employment Attorneys in California,” Daily Journal, 2011-2015; “Top California Women Lawyers,” Daily Journal, 2007, 2010, 2012-2018; Distinguished Jurisprudence Award, Anti-Defamation League, 2014; “Top 10 Northern California Super Lawyers,” Super Lawyers, 2014; “Dolores Huerta Adelita Award,” California Rural Legal Assistance, 2013; “Recommended Lawyer,” The Legal 500 (U.S. edition, 2013); “Women of Achievement Award,” Legal Momentum (formerly the NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund), 2011; “Irish Legal 100” Finalist, The Irish Voice, 2010; “Florence K. Murray Award,” National Association of Women Judges, 2010; “Lawdragon Finalist,” Lawdragon, 2007-2009; “Community Service Award,” Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom, 2008; “Community Justice Award,” Centro Legal de la Raza, 2008; “California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award,” California Lawyer, 2007; “500 Leading Plaintiffs’ Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, Winter 2007; “Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist,” Public Justice Foundation, 2007; “Consumer Attorney of the Year” Finalist, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2006; “California’s Top 20 Lawyers Under 40,” Daily Journal, 2006; “Living the Dream Partner,” Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, 2005; “Top Bay Area Employment Attorney,” The Recorder, 2004, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein

Educational Background:

Harvard University (A.B., magna cum laude, 1990) Senior Class Ames Memorial Public Service Award

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Panelist, “Different Principles of Equality: Comparison between the Legal Assessment of Gender Quotas and Gender Pay Equality in the US and EU,” ABA ERR Committee Midwinter Meeting & Nat’l Symposium on Technology in Labor & Employment Law, March 2025; Panelist, “Developments in Pay Equity and Gender Discrimination Litigation,”18th Annual ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Conference, November 2024; Panelist, “Climate Change and Just Transition Impacts on Labor and Employment,” ABA International Labor and Employment Law Committee Midyear Meeting, May 2024; Panelist, “Pay Equity: Are We There Yet?,” ABA National Conference on Equal Employment Opportunity Law, March 2024; Panelist, “Addressing Attorney Obligations to Avoid Discrimination,” 17th Annual ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Conference, November 2023; Keynote Speaker, 3rd Annual IFSEA International Conference on Risk, Reward and Reputation Management Issues for Senior Executives & Founders, June 2022; Host and Panelist, “Intersectional Lives, Intersectional Experiences: How Transgender Women of Color Laid the Groundwork for Modern Equality Laws,” 15th Annual ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Conference, November 2021; Guest, “Systemic Discrimination Cases,” Today’s Workplace Podcast Episode, October 2021; Speaker, American Bar Association 2021 National Conference on Equal Employment Opportunity Law Midwinter Meeting, April 2021; “Social Movements and the Important Role of Senior Executives and Founders in Diversity & Inclusion, and Racial and Gender Equality,” International Forum of Senior Executives & Advisers Conference, February 2021; Equal Rights Advocates Virtual Gala, November 2020; “Effective EEO, Anti-Bias and Anti-Bullying Employee Training Programs,” American Bar Association 14th Annual Labor & Employment Law Conference,” November 2020; “Challenges in the U.S. Court Systems and in the Practice of Law in the U.S.,” National Association of Women Judges 42nd Virtual Annual Conference, October 2020; “Addressing and Eradicating Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Against Senior Executives,” International Conference on Risk, Reward and Reputation Management Issues for Senior Executives and Founders, February 2020; “Women’s Impact Network – No Glass Ceiling 2.0 Conference,” Bar Association of San Francisco, November 2019; “The Plaintiff Perspective: Mistakes Employers Make and Case Selection Criteria for an Employee Advocate,” California Employment Law Council Annual Meeting, November 2019; “Trials and Tribulations: Stories from BASF Presidents,” Bar Association of San Francisco Ninth Annual Barristers Meeting, November 2019; “The Power of People Analytics,” American Bar Association 13th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, November 2019; “#MeToo and BigLaw,” American Bar Association National Conference on Professional Responsibility, May 2019; “The World Wide #MeToo Movement: Global Resistance to Sexual Harassment and Violence Conference,” UC Berkeley School of Law, May 2019; “#MeToo and Beyond: Addressing Sexual Harassment, Pay Inequity and Other Forms of Gender Discrimination in the International Workplace,” American Bar Association International Labor & Employment Law Conference, May 2019; “Gender Equality in the #MeToo World,” National Conference on Equal Employment Opportunity, April 2019; “#WETOO in the Legal Workplace,” National Association of Women Judges Conference, March 2019; “The Equal Pay Act and The #TimesUp Movement,” American Bar Association Employment Rights & Responsibilities Committee Conference, March 2019; “Post-Election Solidarity: Lawyering and Building Alliances Across Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Immigration Status and Practice Areas”, Lavender Law Conference, 2017; “Class Actions: Latest Developments in Litigating and Settling Employment Discrimination Class Actions”, American Bar Association Labor and Employment Section Equal Employment Opportunity Committee; “A Road Map to Discovery in Employment Discrimination and Wage/Hour Class Actions”, with James M. Finberg, Glasser Legal Works Seminar; “Employment Discrimination Class Actions in the Wake of Allison v. Citgo Petroleum Corp. and Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(f)”, Federal Bar Association

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